Formed in London in 1965 and named for Georgia bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, Pink Floyd performed music that marked the pinnacle of the psychedelic rock scene in the late 1960s. After the departure of drugged-out frontman Syd Barrett in 1968, bassist Roger Waters took charge and penned a string of meditations on madness and the perils of stardom that found great popular favor, including Dark Side of the Moon (1973) and The Wall (1979). Floyd's expansive, atmospheric sound, combined with over-the-top special effects, packed stadiums across America. The group disbanded in 1983 but was reformed under guitarist David Gilmour's leadership in 1987. Pink Floyd was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

Further Reading:

Dallas, Karl. Bricks in the Wall. London, Baton Press, 1987.

Schaffner, Nicholas. Saucerful of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey. New York, Delta, 1991.